Umbrella Stroller Brands

[donaldsgal]

Hey all,

Well, we are at the 34 day mark! Yahoo!!!!!!!!!

Here's the question: We'd like to take an umbrella stroller with us to the parks. We have an umbrella stroller which is cute and definitely lightweight (it's hard to describe, but it sort of collapses up - it doesn't fold in half the way the full size strollers sometimes do, but the wheels lift up and in, so it's tall, skinny and maybe 5-10 inches in diameter when it folds up). Anyways, the problem is that it's just short enough that we tend to bend slightly at the waist to push it, quickly resulting in a back ache.

I'd like to bring an umbrella stroller with us - it would save in waiting in line to rent a stroller at the start of our day in the park, we don't have to transfer a sleeping toddler out of the stroller from the park to the bus stop (and be tired ourselves and have to carry her), and we don't have to search admist the sea of Disney strollers waiting outside a ride or attraction.

Does anyone have a lightweight umbrella stroller that still reclines but folds up nice and tight so we can hold it easily on the buses? We'd love to hear name brands, where you got it, price, etc. I'm 5'7" and have to bend slightly. It measures 36" from the ground to the handles when it's set up ready to hold the toddler.

Thanks in advance!

 

[WDW1st-timers]

I just had one of my best firends pick me up a new umbrella stroller and I think that I'm going to be very happy with it.

It's the girls pink "JEEP". The price with shipping and taxes was about $50.00.
As soon as I get it this Saturday I will post pics or tell you what I think of it.

 

[Perditamarie]

We have a Maclaren Triumph....it is great and I wish I would have known about them earlier. They fold up very compact and have a carry strap. They push like a dream, even w/a heavy kid...and hold kids up to 55 lbs, so they can last until the child is 6 or so. They are also designed to accomodate the stride of taller folks, so there is no hunching involved. They are a bit pricier, but the capacity to hold heavier weights means you can use it much longer than the typical umbrella. You can find at various online stores, like www.albeebaby.com and even www.toysrus.com. There are many models in the line, and I don't think you could go wrong with one. You could also probably get a decent price if you sold it when your child outgrows it to recoup some of your cash, but it will pay for itself in comfort and just about in 1 trip renting Disney strollers!!

 

[quiltymom]

We still have our $10.00 one from Babies r Us from when DD6 was tiny. It's bent and beat up, but it still works for us.

There's a solution for you about having to bend over to push the stroller - I saw someone with an added set of handles placed on her umbrella stroller, which brought the height up about 6 inches or so. They looked like a duplicate set of the curved umbrella-stroller type handles.

I'm not sure if this is the same product, but they looked like this: http://www.happybabyproducts.com/adexhanbar.html The photo is small, but you get the idea.

There is also this one http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?siteId=117&productId=176&cm_ven=Nextag&cm_ite=OSA, but for larger strollers.

Hope this helps!

 

[mommystieg]

Maclaren Quest or Triumph are awesome!! I also wish I had known about these sooner. I got both of ours off of the Allbee Baby site at a great price!! I like the Quest better than the Triumph for smaller kids because it has the extendable leg rest but both strollers are lightweight and fold up very easily. I am 5'8" and DH is 5'11" and we both find these strollers very easy to push.

 

[donaldsgal]

We still have our $10.00 one from Babies r Us from when DD6 was tiny. It's bent and beat up, but it still works for us.

There's a solution for you about having to bend over to push the stroller - I saw someone with an added set of handles placed on her umbrella stroller, which brought the height up about 6 inches or so. They looked like a duplicate set of the curved umbrella-stroller type handles.

I'm not sure if this is the same product, but they looked like this: http://www.happybabyproducts.com/adexhanbar.html The photo is small, but you get the idea.

There is also this one http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?siteId=117&productId=176&cm_ven=Nextag&cm_ite=OSA, but for larger strollers.

Hope this helps!

That's a great help - thank you! My sister suggested this, and when I did a web search I couldn't find any links for these items. This may be the route we go, so I appreciate your taking the time to post those links.

I'm still curious to hear what other brands people use and how they work for average height or taller folks. Thanks for all the replies - I can always count on the DIS to keep me informed!

 

[donaldsgal]

We have a Maclaren Triumph....it is great and I wish I would have known about them earlier. They fold up very compact and have a carry strap. They push like a dream, even w/a heavy kid...and hold kids up to 55 lbs, so they can last until the child is 6 or so. They are also designed to accomodate the stride of taller folks, so there is no hunching involved. They are a bit pricier, but the capacity to hold heavier weights means you can use it much longer than the typical umbrella. You can find at various online stores, like www.albeebaby.com and even www.toysrus.com. There are many models in the line, and I don't think you could go wrong with one. You could also probably get a decent price if you sold it when your child outgrows it to recoup some of your cash, but it will pay for itself in comfort and just about in 1 trip renting Disney strollers!!

I checked out the websites... it says it comes with a rain cover? Is that the rain cover similar to the rain shield you see on golf carts, meaning it completely covers the seat area? That'd be great if it comes with that - travevling to Disney in June means we're sure to hit afternoon rain showers, and I've love to be able to keep my niece dry but still able to see out while we plug away and commando, er, I mean, stroll leisurely on to the next thing. Also, does it have a storage area on the back or under the seat?

 

[labdogs42]

I checked out the websites... it says it comes with a rain cover? Is that the rain cover similar to the rain shield you see on golf carts, meaning it completely covers the seat area? That'd be great if it comes with that - travevling to Disney in June means we're sure to hit afternoon rain showers, and I've love to be able to keep my niece dry but still able to see out while we plug away and commando, er, I mean, stroll leisurely on to the next thing. Also, does it have a storage area on the back or under the seat?

If it is anything like my chicco stroller, which came with a rain cover, it is like a golf cart cover. You can stroll around in the rain and the kid and stroller stay dry! (that is, if your kid doesn't keep lifting up the rain cover like mine likes to do!)

 

[busymomma123]

My vote is for the Maclaren Triumph. Another great feature, is it has a strap for carrying it folded up. I have three kids, and just found this one, and we really wish we found it with the first DS. We purchased this one because DS who will be 2 1/2 in June was unfastening his other strollers and climbing out. (He's the daredevil you hear stories about. ) In the Macleren the straps go over his shoulders but fasten in the bottom. There is no way he is getting out of this one. We also have complained about slumping over, but have no problems with the Macleren. They are pricey, but well worth the $.

 

[blessedby3]

I agree with the Maclarens. My DH is 6'2" and this is a great stroller for him to push. He doesnt have to bend over at all. Some models even come with adjustable handles. We have a volo because we didnt need all the bells and whistles for our DD. She just used the stroller for Disney (she was 7 and 8 at the time). It pushes her like she isnt even in it. She was about 42-45 pounds on our trips. It will hold up to 55 pounds! A great stroller!! We are getting another model for our new baby. I need one now that reclines, etc.

 

[Matthews4Disney]

I checked out the websites... it says it comes with a rain cover? Is that the rain cover similar to the rain shield you see on golf carts, meaning it completely covers the seat area? That'd be great if it comes with that - travevling to Disney in June means we're sure to hit afternoon rain showers, and I've love to be able to keep my niece dry but still able to see out while we plug away and commando, er, I mean, stroll leisurely on to the next thing. Also, does it have a storage area on the back or under the seat?

We have a Quest that I bought for our DDs first trip two years ago. The only problem we've had with it is that every time she gets out of it, if you have stuff hanging on the back handles, it tips over. That is a major pain. But, the ease of pushing, the fact that it is so lightweight and the fact that heavier kids can ride in outweigh that negative. The basket underneath the stroller is very small and kind of hard to get into. Mine is a 2004 though, so that may be improved now.

The rain cover covers the stroller completely. It snaps onto the side of the stroller for a perfect fit. Also, it has side vents/little holes so the child can still breath if they are riding in it while its on. We found it particularly helpful when we went into shows or attractions and it looked like it was going to rain. We would take our gear off the back handles and put it in the seat, then put the rain cover on it. It made sure nothing got wet. It works great!

Last year, we got a double stroller at Wal-Mart, but DD was really too heavy for it. We literally drove a tire right off it late one night at MK. We never found that little tire, either! This year, I think I'll get another Maclaren. I'm thinking of getting a Volo for DD who will be 5 (but probably around 60 lbs. by that time) and then DS1 can use the Quest since it reclines. The Volo is Maclaren's true umbrella stroller. It does not recline and it is even more lightweight than the others. They do have a sun shade though, which is a nice feature that most umbrella strollers do not have.

I really wish we could have a double, but the Maclaren doubles look narrow to me and I don't think DD would be comfortable. Plus, they are super expensive and Disney would be the only time we'd really use it. Does anyone actually prefer two separate strollers as compared to a double stroller?

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Hey all,

Well, we are at the 34 day mark! Yahoo!!!!!!!!!

Here's the question: We'd like to take an umbrella stroller with us to the parks. We have an umbrella stroller which is cute and definitely lightweight (it's hard to describe, but it sort of collapses up - it doesn't fold in half the way the full size strollers sometimes do, but the wheels lift up and in, so it's tall, skinny and maybe 5-10 inches in diameter when it folds up). Anyways, the problem is that it's just short enough that we tend to bend slightly at the waist to push it, quickly resulting in a back ache.

We've taken our Quinny Zapp in the parks, it folds down similar to to the one you've described, but the handles are much higher. I'm 6'1" and don't have any back issues when we've used it at the parks. That being said, it's a bit more expensive that your average umbrella stroller, but we love ours. http://www.quinny.com/zapp/ Although they're hard to find in the stores, you can usually find them on ebay with no problem. Have a great trip!!

 

[bellesnow]

We bought a Maclaren Triumph last May for my then 18 month old DS. My DH & I love this stroller. I am 5'8" and my DH is 6', we don't hunch over pushing it and don't kick the wheels in the back. We even bought the carry bag for it so it would not get nasty when it got stored on the plane. Best stoller I ever owned and like the post above, wish I had found this for my DD 8 years ago. Hoped this helped.

 

[leslieseagle]

We loved our Chico Caddy. It was light weight, folds down pretty small. It has a rain cover that covers the whole seat too. I am 5'7 and my husband is over six feet tall, and neither of us has had a problem with it. Good luck.

 

[zaza]

We had a free umbrella stroller we got from Toys 'R Us when we bought a new crib mattress and it was even a little short for me (I'm 5'4"). You get what you pay for. . . With our Disney trip coming up and knowing we like to keep an umbrella stroller in the back of our Trailblazer for grandchildren, we went shopping and ended up with a Chicco Capri. It folds up like a true umbrella stroller, has a sunshade, has a gear net underneath, and reclines some. We have been using it with the Princess to try it out and it seems great! My daughter is 5'9" and my husband is 5'11" and neither of them has had trouble with it being short. My son and son-in-law haven't tried it yet, though, and they are both over 6'. I think our Capri cost $60. It also came with a zippered tote bag to put the stroller in, and the stroller itself has a shoulder strap attached. We'll be putting it to its Disney test in 21 days!!

 

[brergnat]

Ditto on Maclaren. I just bought a Quest for my 1 year old because I needed something I could push one handed while my 3 year old is riding in the grocery cart in the store. The Maclaren steers like a dream. I got the Quest because of the easier recline mechanism as well as the extendable leg rest (my baby was only 10 months when I first got it, but he still uses the legrest). I would say the Triumph is a good bet for a toddler. You don't need the Quest for a toddler. If I buy another Maclaren, it'll probably be a Triumph.

I also have a Chicco Capri, and I THOUGHT it was great, but when I got the Maclaren, I realized how much it is NOT great. It has a 37lb upper weight limit and my oldest only weighs about 28 lbs now and it's SUPER hard to push. The right front wheel is always getting stuck sideways and it's very difficult to maneuver. In addition, the sunshade is very flimsy.

I'm not tall (5'2") and neither is DH (5'4"), but the handles on the Maclaren are very ergonomically placed, and they are much higher than on my Chicco.

I would go to a Babies R Us, if you have one, and test drive some strollers. You will love the Maclarens if you try them. I SO did not want to spend $200 on an umbrella, but it was the best $$$ I've put down on a stroller so far.

Those Jeep strollers look nice, but they are very heavy for umbrella strollers.

 

[kileybeth]

as a mom to 6 who has been buying strollers in all their forms since 1982 (oy!) I really do think I've tried most of them!

and I still haven't gotten it right. I am still trading in , returning, resaling strollers right and left.

You'd think I would have just plunked down the $$$ and purchased the Maclaren.

Saving my pennies so I can purchase 2 (!!!) before we go back to Disney in September.

Test drove them again today in BRU and wonder what I was thinking all this time.

ps. returning my combi I purchased a few days ago, it is a mess after one trip out. also wouldn't get the chicco as both my 2 and 4 year olds complained about their legs hurting while sitting in it.

Huge sigh. . . .

oh, yes and our jeep umbrella was great, for about 3 months and then fell apart, I'm sure there are more stories I could tell, but, save yourself the trouble an djust go buy the Maclaren!

 

[donaldsgal]

I just put a bid on a 2006 Maclaren Quest stroller - $44 is the high bid right now. My niece is 28 inches tall and 17 pounds - do you think this will be too big/small for her? I don't want her scrunched in. A lot of people liked the Triumph, but the Triumph was getting out of our price range quickly on the eBay bidding. Hopefully the Quest (if we get it) will be just as good. It's normally $200, so if we got it for $44 plus $25 for shipping, that'd be pretty good, right?

Now I'm just wondering if all you prospective buyers on this thread are going to go over and bid and force our hand! Naw.... no one on the DIS would do that, right?

 

[Jennygt]

I am tall 5'8 dh 6'5 and the Mac's are the only one we could use comfortably. We both kept kicking the wheels on the chicco.
We got the quest and it is awesome, Ds loves it, I highly reccomend any Maclaren.

 

[dsneygirl]

We have the Quest and love it. We even put DS in it a 3 months in WDW but he was a big baby. Love the rain cover because it folds so tiny to store underneath. I also like the recline and there's a decent sized basket as well.